Crew C-263B on the bow in San Juan

We sailed into San Juan harbor yesterday afternoon after a swim call on the southern edge of the Puerto Rico Trench, the deepest place in the Atlantic! After passing El Morro, the 400 year old fort lit by the low angle setting sun, we dropped anchor for our final evening aboard. We shared an all-hands supper of ribs and veggie burgers, then gathered on the quarterdeck for a “swizzle” to toast Neptune and give thanks for our safe passage.

We shared some music, songs, and reflections then drifted off to our bunks. Many participants were up during the night to voluntarily help with anchor watch. After breakfast we gathered for a final discussion about a variety of topics including curricula, cruise tracks, shore activities, research opportunities, credit transfer, and other academic and logistical topics. The diverse background and expertise of participants from many disciplines and institutions all over the USA (including Univ. of Puerto Rico) made for a lively conversation. A comment from one participant stuck with me: Reflecting on the voyage he said “I understand now that students at SEA have no choice but to form a learning community”. These Colleague Voyages serve not only as site visits to inform faculty and staff from sending institutions about our programs, but also as critical input to SEA from our academic colleagues that help us continually improve our programs. We thank each participant for the time and effort you gave to make C-2563B a successful voyage.

- Erik